It argues that King's "Letter" was an essential response for civil rights to continue as a mass movement in Birmingham and beyond. Several months ago our local affiliate here in Birmingham invited us to be on call to engage in a nonviolent direct action program if such were deemed necessary. When Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his Letter from Birmingham Jail in the 1960s, racial prejudice was rampant. In the excerpt Letter from the Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr., King utilized ethos and logos to express his belief for a country without judgment of character based solely on one's skin color and discrimination towards the Negro community. The first of these men is Martin Luther King, who we celebrate every January of every year. For ethos Martin Luther King Jr. is a credible source because he was a leader of the African-American Civil Rights Movement. Actually, we who engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. I love to write and share science related Stuff Here on my Website. It is a presentation of the logical relationships between and the reasoning for a particular position. He uses his examples in order to logically explain why nonviolent direct action works. His comparison would seem to indicate that he shares [], Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Jesus, all these radical men and more are alluded to in Martin Luther King Jrs Letter from Birmingham Jail. His use of their names in the context of this paper creates a form of kinship [], The Stoic way of life described in Epictetuss Enchiridion (135 A.C.E.) In the first two paragraphs, the King starts by stating what he and his audience share in common. I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the very highest respect for law. In our world today, racial prejudice can still shape how people interact with one another, what opportunities individuals are given, and what we see on the news each night. It has taken Christianity almost 2,000 years to accomplish what it has. For instance, when the clergymen referred the author as an extremist, he responded with a series of rhetorical questions; Was not Paul an extremist for the gospel of Jesus Christ? and also Was not Jesus an extremist in love? (King 4) (King 4). To preserve the evil system of segregation. So I have not said to my people, Get rid of your discontent. But I have tried to say that this normal and healthy discontent can be channeled through the creative outlet of nonviolent direct action. WebWhen Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his Letter from Birmingham Jail in the 1960s, racial prejudice was rampant. In this, the author purposes to depict his understanding of important events and the respect he and his organization bestow on crucial matters of the society. I must make two honest confessions to you, my Christian and Jewish brothers. All Categories; Metaphysics and Epistemology I have no fear about the outcome of our struggle in Birmingham, even if our motives are presently misunderstood. 16 April 1963. Now there is nothing wrong with an ordinance which requires a permit for a parade, but when the ordinance is used to preserve segregation and to deny citizens the First Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and peaceful protest, then it becomes unjust. WebWebsite Builders; tory burch rubber flip flops. The Negro has many pent-up resentments and latent frustrations. Lastly, King utilizes logos, on page two, in order to further support his organizations nonviolent strategies. Kairos is a rhetorical strategy that considers the timeliness of an argument or message, and its place in the zeitgeist. On April 12, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. They have languished in filthy, roach-infested jails, suffering the abuse and brutality of angry policemen who see them as dirty nigger lovers. They, unlike so many of their moderate brothers and sisters, have recognized the urgency of the moment and sensed the need for powerful action antidotes to combat the disease of segregation. So, after all, maybe the South, the nation, and the world are in dire need of creative extremists. Since we so diligently urge people to obey the Supreme Courts decision of 1954 outlawing segregation in the public schools, it is rather strange and paradoxical to find us consciously breaking laws. GradesFixer. Never before have I written a letter this long (or should I say a book?). WebSyntax; Advanced Search; New. Another way that King uses pathos in the letter is in the way that he talks about the way people are affected by the segregation. Despite the harsh treatment he and his fellow protestors had received, King continued his work in Birmingham. Birmingham, Alabama, was known for its intense segregation and attempts to combat said racism during this time period. My thesis aimed to study dynamic agrivoltaic systems, in my case in arboriculture. This is difference made legal. I have heard numerous religious leaders of the South call upon their worshippers to comply with a desegregation decision because it is the law, but I have longed to hear white ministers say follow this decree because integration is morally right and the Negro is your brother. This essay is available online and was probably used by another student. But despite these notable exceptions I must honestly reiterate that I have been disappointed with the Church. It is intended to evoke a feeling of sadness and get other people to see the perspective of a parent. Don't use plagiarized sources. While in jail, Martin Luther King Jr. expressed discontentment concerning such critiques and desired to address these concerns with an appropriate mechanism through this letter. They will be the James Merediths, courageously and with a majestic sense of purpose, facing jeering and hostile mobs and the agonizing loneliness that characterizes the life of the pioneer. MLK uses ethos near the beginning of his letter to convince readers of his credibility. This essay examines the rhetorical situation of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail." One has not only a legal but moral responsibility to obey just laws. In this, the author states that nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and establish such creative tension that a community that has consistently refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue (King 2). A kairos appeal depends a great deal on knowing which way the wind blows. This uses logos as it shows logical steps to prove they have done what is right. WebRhetorical Analysis Worksheet: "Letter from Birmingham Jail" - Martin Luther King, Jr. Kairos: Explain the context of the letter. Dr. King wrote this epic letter on April 16th, 1963 as a political prisoner. By April 12, King was in prison along with many of his fellow activists. I received a letter this morning from a white brother in Texas which said: All Christians know that the colored people will receive equal rights eventually, but is it possible that you are in too great of a religious hurry? It gives the segregator a false sense of superiority and the segregated a false sense of inferiority. Abused and scorned though we may be, our destiny is tied up with the destiny of America. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote the Letter from a Birmingham Jail on April 16, 1963. I hope this letter finds you strong in the faith. If I sought to answer all the criticisms that cross my desk, my secretaries would be engaged in little else in the course of the day and I would have no time for constructive work. "When you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six-year-old daughter why she cannot go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see the tears welling up in her little eyes." Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. This movement is nourished by the contemporary frustration over the continued existence of racial discrimination. His comparison would appear to point that he shares an associate affinity with them. I have been so greatly disappointed with the white Church and its leadership. Simply stated, logos is the setting forth of the reasoning behind a position or action. He wrote the letter to a group of clergymen about racial prejudice This statement reveals the major purpose of all the social unrest planned by the king. Was not Jesus an extremist in love? Throughout the state of Alabama all types of conniving methods are used to prevent Negroes from becoming registered voters and there are some counties without a single Negro registered to vote despite the fact that the Negro constitutes a majority of the population. Remember: This is just a sample from a fellow student. To put it in the terms of Saint Thomas Aquinas, an unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal and natural law. On the other hand a just law is a code that a majority compels a minority to follow that it is willing to follow itself. Throughout the Letter from Birmingham Jail, ethos, pathos, and logos are masterfully applied by Martin Luther King. Consequently, the "Letter" as rhetorical response opened a new public frame for pragmatic, value-based identification with civil rights for historical and contemporary audiences. For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions The first one is what is known as ethos by default. I had hoped that each of you would understand. His organization has ties in Birmingham. WebKing wrote The Letter from Birmingham Jail on April 16, 1963 to defend peaceful protests or nonviolent resistance which is the reason he was arrested. The Enchiridion is a list of 52 principles [], For this paper, I am going to analyze Kings Letter From Birmingham Jail and Lincolns Inaugural address and discuss how the two connect but also discuss what separates them. WebWhen reading "Letter from Birmingham Jail" one may notice that Martin Luther King Jr. Used many instances of logos, ethos, pathos, and even Kairos. The Historical Impact of this development, Letter From Birmingham Jail Martin Luther King Jr, Reverend and Civil Rights Activist, the letter that he wrote was about Dr.King writing back to the eight clergymen who were criticizing him and his fellow activists. WebIn Martin Luther Kings A Letter from Birmingham Jail, the rhetorical appeals of kairos, logos and especially pathos are implied heavily throughout the piece, effectively Isnt this like condemning Socrates because his unswerving commitment to truth and his philosophical delvings precipitated the misguided popular mind to make him drink the hemlock? Fair Use Policy or become aware of any violations, please do not hesitate to contact us via support@edubirdie.com. This statement further reveals that the king is defending his tactics since he is aware that violence is bad, and will usually results to pointless spilling of blood .The author also says that the nonviolence approaches seeks to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored (King 2). When you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six year old daughter why she cant go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Fun town is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness toward white people; when you have to concoct an answer for a five year old son who is asking: Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean? King is trying to trigger an emotional response from the reader by showing how children and parents are dealing with the unfairness in human rights. By creative use of kairos and pathos the letter rebutted the claims of the moderate white clergy in Birmingham and changed King's rhetorical persona and presence. Over the last few years I have consistently preached that nonviolence demands the means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek. I had hoped that the white moderate would see this. Let's fix your grades together! WebIn Martin Luther Kings A Letter from Birmingham Jail, the rhetorical appeals of kairos, logos and especially pathos are implied heavily throughout the piece, effectively In Birmingham, Alabama, in the spring of 1963, Kings campaign to end segregation at lunch counters and in hiring practices drew nationwide attention when police turned dogs LoveAllPeople.org. Such amazing blending of facts, analogies, logic, refutation, and other persuasive approaches in literature usually enhances the realization of intended goals as far as convincing of the audience is concerned. These clergymen, 8 in number, have also criticized the actions of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). It is expressed in the various black nationalist groups that are springing up over the nation, the largest and best known being Elijah Muhammads Muslim movement. Before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth, we were here. An unjust law is a code that a majority inflicts on a minority that is not binding on itself. King is defending this way, because he knows that violence is wrong, and will just lead to unnecessary spilling of blood. But I am sure that, if I had lived in Germany during that time, I would have aided and comforted my Jewish brothers even though it was illegal. The letter of Birmingham Jail was written by Martin Luther King on April 16, 1963. The goal is to aggravate the whites until they finally give in to negotiations. The urge for freedom will eventually come. WebKairos: Martin Luther King took advantage of the letter sent to him to respond an explain better the intention of his action. Category: Racism. Let us turn to a more concrete example of just and unjust laws. This is certainly a legitimate concern. We will reach the goal of freedom in Birmingham and all over the nation, because the goal of America is freedom. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law. I also hope that circumstances will soon make it possible for me to meet each of you, not as an integrationist or a civil rights leader, but as a fellow clergyman and a Christian brother. Purpose? He takes up for his cause in Birmingham, and Web"Letter from Birmingham Jail" LOGOS Logos is an appeal to our logic or reasoning. Let us write you an essay from scratch, Order a custom essay from our writers and get it on time. Martin Luther Kings Letter from Birmingham Jail is the most important written document of the civil rights era. Having been pushed to the corner, the blacks have no other alternative but to demonstrate. But before closing I am impelled to mention one other point in your statement that troubled me profoundly. Ralph Abernathy (center) and the Rev. It; Meaning of life; To prove them that they are wrong, the king brought about this statement which clearly shows that he is not out of order and is rather considerate on his timing of actions. However, King [], Over the course of Letter from Birmingham Jail (1963), the author, Martin Luther King Jr., makes extended allusions to multiple philosophers, among them Aquinas and Socrates. WebIn the letter, Letter from Birmingham Jail written by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 16, 1963, Dr. King is answering criticism from white clergy men. From my perspective, King brought to the worlds attention how unfairly blacks were treated equally to white people. Download Print. Letter from Birmingham Jail(1963) written by Martin Luther King, is the most important civil rights text because it inspired people to fight for freedom and their rights during the civil rights movement. But more basically, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here. Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid. He writes the letter to catch the eyes of people who want change. In a letter, well known as the letter from a Birmingham jail, the King defended his organizations non-violent strategies through three major principles of rhetoric; Pathos, ethos, and logos. From the above analysis, it is clear that the use of ethos, pathos, and logos have effectively and logically convinced the audience that the segregation laws are unjust and therefore they must end. His uses of pathos make the reader feel pity and sadness for the Black Community. Pathos 1. Beyond this, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here. Actually time is neutral. The letter logically and intelligently blends the refutation aspect with the rhetorical elements of ethos, pathos, and logos to bring about an amazing work of literature. The king also uses another ethos by stating that Just as Socrates felt to sensitive the fact that it is not only him who is feeling the need to use non-violent means to condemn the increased discrimination of black Americans (King, 2). Published quarterly, the journal explores the traditional arenas of rhetorical investigation including executive leadership, diplomacy, political campaigns, judicial and legislative deliberations, and public policy debate. So let him march sometime; let him have his prayer pilgrimages to the city hall; understand why he must have sit-ins and freedom rides. Now what is the difference between the two? ART MISC. I had hoped that the white moderate would understand that law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice, and that when they fail to do this they become dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress. Get original paper written according to your instructions. It was practiced superbly by the early Christians who were willing to face hungry lions and the excruciating pain of chopping blocks, before submitting to certain unjust laws of the Roman Empire. I guess I should have realized that few members of a race that has oppressed another race can understand or appreciate the deep groans and passionate yearnings of those that have been oppressed, and still fewer have the vision to see that injustice must be rooted out by strong, persistent, and determined action. Therefore, there is no way the clergy can purport that the King is not sensitive to the time issue considering he not only participate in elections but he also asks his supporters to refrain from any kind of social unrest during an election time. In this statement, the king tries to argue that his actions are not out-of-vacuum but rather are supported by a rich portfolio of facts and therefore his actions are wise and well called for. 1963 was a time when the southern united states were enforced by racial segregation laws known as jim crow laws. I hope the Church as a whole will meet the challenge of this decisive hour. He does this by showing what the South would be like if they resorted to violent actions, and also how African Americans would trudge along if they were completely compliant to the segregation laws. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive. Our writers will provide you with an essay sample written from scratch: any topic, any deadline, any instructions. If I have said anything in this letter that is an overstatement of the truth and is indicative of an unreasonable impatience, I beg you to forgive me. The pathos method appeals to an emotion which persuades the clergymen by how their emotions get mixed. Martin Luther King as an important leader of the African-American Civil Rights Movement, wrote the letter to respond to Alabama clergymen why he led the movement. In Melvin in the Sixth Grade by Dana Johnson, the main, Dr. King was an American Baptist minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the Civil Rights Movement from 1954 through 1968. I had also hoped that the white moderate would reject the myth of time. Copyright 2023 The Witherspoon Institute. While confined here in the Birmingham City Jail, I came across your recent statement calling our present activities unwise and untimely. Seldom, if ever, do I pause to answer criticism of my work and ideas. He claims that real civil disobedience doesnt mean succumbing to the forces of evil, but encouraging people to use the power of love to confront evil. I am here because I have basic organizational ties here. He also explains that [nonviolence] seeks so to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored. This is also a logical statement that supports his organizations ideals of nonviolence. By continuing well assume you board with our cookie policy. In the midst of blatant injustices inflicted upon the Negro, I have watched white churches stand on the sideline and merely mouth pious irrelevancies and sanctimonious trivialities. He wants to awaken the conscience of more people, and he wants to use moral force to expose the unjust law. He encourages people to not let injustice prevail and be a responsible people. I do not say that as one of those negative critics who can always find something wrong with the Church. You express a great deal of anxiety over our willingness to break laws. Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The major aim was not to be violent but rather to create a hot air environment until the whites gave in to discussions. Isnt this like condemning the robbed man because his possession of money precipitated the evil act of robbery? Let me give another explanation. You warmly commend the Birmingham police force for keeping order and preventing violence. I dont believe you would have so warmly commended the police force if you had seen its angry violent dogs literally biting six unarmed, nonviolent Negroes. Since its founding in 1947, the mission of the Michigan State University Press has been to be a catalyst for positive intellectual, social, and technological change through the publication of research and intellectual inquiry, making significant contributions to scholarship in the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences. And I am further convinced that if our white brothers dismiss us as rabble rousers and outside agitatorsthose of us who are working through the channels of nonviolent direct actionand refuse to support our nonviolent efforts, millions of Negroes, out of frustration and despair, will seek solace and security in black-nationalist ideologies, a development that will lead inevitably to a frightening racial nightmare. Who can say that the legislature of Alabama which set up the segregation laws was democratically elected? We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, The Influence of the Scottish Enlightenment. To use the words of Martin Buber, the great Jewish philosopher, segregation substitutes an I-it relationship for an I-thou relationship, and ends up relegating persons to the status of things. I felt that the white ministers, priests, and rabbis of the South would be some of our strongest allies. Im grateful to God that, through the Negro church, the dimension of nonviolence entered our struggle. It argues that King's "Letter" was an essential response for civil rights to continue as a mass movement in Birmingham and beyond. Edubirdie. King uses pathos, on page five, in order to back up his affiliations pacifist approaches. Will we be extremists for the preservation of injusticeor will we be extremists for the cause of justice? All rights reserved. It is the strangely irrational notion that there is something in the very flow of time that will inevitably cure all ills. I am coming to feel that the people of ill will have used time much more effectively than the people of good will. King starts off by saying, Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a communityis forced to confront the issue. Here, he is defining the goal of nonviolent direct action. WebAlthough MLK utilizes many varying appeals and devices, Kairos and anaphora are the most forceful because they pressure the white clergy and stimulate guilt in them. We readily consented and when the hour came we lived up to our promises. The most effective method of persuasion, logos, strongly persuaded the clergymen by getting informed with the assistance of logical facts and reasoning. This sentence, which is in the 5th paragraph of the 2nd page, uses pathos. As seen throughout significant events in history, strong leaders are able to mold language into a powerful tool, which they utilize for specific goals. The oppressed people have to rely on the Federal civil rights legislation thus African Americans' civil rights can be guaranteed. Dr. King penned this work in response to eight white ministers He wrote this letter from his jail cell after him and several of his associates were arrested as they nonviolently protested segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. Jr that he is responding to in this letter is the Civil Rights Movement. An unjust law is a code inflicted upon a minority which that minority had no part in enacting or creating because they did not have the unhampered right to vote. Request Permissions, Published By: Michigan State University Press. He accomplishes this by depicting how the South would look like if his organization had resulted to violent methods, and also how the Negroes would trudge along if they were totally complying with the segregation policies. Letter from a Birmingham Jail, abridged, [Martin Luther King, Jr. Letter from a Birmingham Jail. The First Version. MLK King does have some automatic ethos due to him being known as a well educated and prominent African American figure. His anecdote Despite the harsh treatment he and his fellow protestors had received, King This does not only contribute to the ease in understanding the overall message of the letter but also in perceiving the various rhetorical and other literal devices applied in this work. One is a force of complacency made up of Negroes who, as a result of long years of oppression, have been so completely drained of self-respect and a sense of somebodiness that they have adjusted to segregation, and of a few Negroes in the middle class who, because of a degree of academic and economic security, and because at points they profit by segregation, have unconsciously become insensitive to the problems of the masses. We will occasionally send you account related emails. WebLetter from a Birmingham Jail readers theater is a 2 page script for 8 readers that explains the events leading up to Dr. Martin Luther Kings arrest and subsequent letter, summarizes the content of the letter and provides a peek at subsequent landmark events that came as a result of the civil rights movement.Check out other Black History productsPhillis Wheatley WebLetter from a Birmingham Jail readers theater is a 2 page script for 8 readers that explains the events leading up to Dr. Martin Luther Kings arrest and subsequent letter, summarizes the content of the letter and provides a peek at subsequent landmark events that came as a result of the civil rights movement.Check out other Black History Im afraid it is much too long to take your precious time. WebIn the opening pages of "A Letter from Birmingham Jail," Martin Luther King Jr. is discussing his situation and the kairos, or the opportune moment, for his civil rights campaign. In this sense they have been rather publicly nonviolent. But for what purpose? King begins his letter using ethos to establish his credentials and backs up his actions while he continues to express his views on civil rights issues. Even when they were told so it was not widely believed. Im sorry that I cant join you in your praise for the police department. Dr. King was sent to jail many times for standing up for all equality and speaking out on segregation. So I am here, along with several members of my staff, because we were invited here. 1963 was a time when the southern united states were enforced by racial segregation laws known as jim crow laws.